Boston crix fete ‘The Artist’

Brad Pitt, Michelle Williams take acting honors

BOSTON — In a year with no dominant films, the Boston Society of Film Critics served up their most eclectic slate of winners in years.

“The Artist,” took best picture, while “Drive” was cited for best supporting actor for Albert Brooks’ cool but vicious gangster. Both films were tied for best use of music in the film. “Moneyball” was the only other multiple winner with Brad Pitt winning best actor and Steve Zaillian and Aaron Sorkin sharing the screenplay honors.

Past winner Martin Scorsese was named best director for “Hugo,” while the acting awards were widely scattered. Michelle Williams’s turn as Marilyn Monroe in “My Week with Marilyn” won best actress. The Society went lowbrow for best supporting actress, awarding Melissa McCarthy for “Bridesmaids.” Roman Polanski’s “Carnage” — starring Jodie Foster, John C. Reilly, Christoph Waltz and Kate Winslet — was cited for best ensemble.

“The Tree of Life” won for cinematography for d.p. Emmanuel Lubezki. “Rango” won for best animated film, the only film to be selected in a single ballot, while “Project Nim” was named best documentary and “Incendies” was named best foreign language film.

The award for best new filmmaker, named for the late critic David Brudnoy, was given to Sean Durkin for “Martha Marcy May Marlene.” The Boston crix are known for their sometimes quirky choices and this year was no exception, as they gave the best editing kudo to “The Clock,” the twenty-four hour art installation by Christian Marclay which uses film clips showing watches and clocks from various movies and TV shows to go through a full day.